Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph shows a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the occurrence took place

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has eliminated 35 kids and seriously hurt six others, cops said on Thursday.

The injured children were getting medical attention following the incident, which took location on Wednesday in Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command said.

“8 persons have since been apprehended for their various involvements”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a statement.

Among those apprehended was the main sponsor of the event at the Basorun Islamic High School, which was arranged by the Wings Foundation and Agidigbo FM radio.

The Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department has opened a probe, Osifeso added.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “expressed extensive sadness over the awful event”.

He used his “sincere condolences” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving households who have actually lost their cherished children”.

He advised the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential step to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the necessary actions are a thorough evaluation of all public events’ security procedures, stringent enforcement of security policies, and routine safety audits of event locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen several lethal stampedes in current months.

In March, two students died and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands gathered for complimentary bags of rice handed out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four women who had been waiting outside the workplace of a rich businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to assist spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst recession in a .

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had shared his acknowledgements for the Ibadan victims on X on Wednesday.

“Our hearts stay with the households and loved ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde said.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose delight has all of a sudden been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he included.